Adelaide Bite - ABL - Australian Baseball League

[Big Phil]

GO BITE

Might need your help again tonight Thiele, the connection has a mind of it's own and is dropping in and out...

Just got to Barbagallo Park, the game to get underway in about in about 25 minutes...

[Big Phil]

BIG PHIL'S BITE BLOG
Live from Fremantle, WA

So we decided to kill some time this morning by going for a drive into Fremantle. Both of us being big footy fans, we thought we might drive around town, grab some lunch down at the Marina then perhaps to get a footy fix, check out the facilities at the 2 local WAFL clubs, South Frematle Bulldogs and East Perth Sharks.

After a nice feed of fresh seafood, we found the South Fremantle Oval, the training home for Fremantle Dockers, and as we were driving past, noticed there was a game actually happening on th field. Curiosity got the better of us so we decided to head in and have a look.

It was the internal trial of South Fremantle so we thought we would stay for 10-15 minutes and have a look. We found a comfy spot in the shade up by the Dockers gym facility and there were a few Fremantle players hanging around having a look.

Both my mate and I were wearing our Central shirts and then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a former Central District Premiership Player and current Docker, Jonathon Griffin. Seeing as though we were showing our 'true colours' we decided to wander over and have a chat to the big fella.

As soon as he saw our shirts and recognised we were from Elizabeth, he was more than happy to have a chat. He was saying he is loving being back home (he is from East Fremantle originally) but he always enjoyed playing for the Doggies when not with the Crows.

He was not surprised to learn the Gowans' boys are still playing and was a little bit surprised to hear about the senior player turnover Central had since last season. When we told him the SANFL were playing night footy at Noarlunga this year, he was very sympathetic for the players !!!

He said he loved playing at Elizabeth Oval because of the wide expanses reminding him of all the WAFL grounds (South Fremantle's oval was quite large indeed) and said he will always treasure his time with the Dogs, of course being a member of the 2007 Premiership.

He is playing for the Dockers tomorrow evening in their NAB Cup fixture and of course, we wished him well.

Anyway, enough on the footy, now onto the baseball - GO BITE !!!

[Big Phil]

BIG PHIL'S BITE BLOG
Live from Barbagallo Ball Park, WA

With the 2nd game in the playoffs, Adelaide is referred to the 'home team' meaning they will field first with form pitcher Brandon Maurer taking the ball first up.

Crowd is really building here at Barbagallo Ball Park in the suburb of Thornlie, the weather is pretty much similar to last night with the temperature feeling about high 20's, early 30's and a pretty strong breeze blowing straight into home plate from the outfield.

Game starts in about 3 minutes, c'mon Bite, let's finish this off tonight and claim the ABL Championship !!!

GO BITE !!!

[Thiele]

Question how does Perth open the batting when Adelaide opened the batting last night

[Thiele]

3 up 3 down for Perth at the top of the 1st

[bayman]

Question how does Perth open the batting when Adelaide opened the batting last night

good question thiele as i always thought that the away team batted first (as a guess) perhaps it is to do with it being a grand final series

[Thiele]

Question how does Perth open the batting when Adelaide opened the batting last night

good question thiele as i always thought that the away team batted first (as a guess) perhaps it is to do with it being a grand final series

I noticed the same the other week @ Norwood when we played Melbourne that we battered first and Melbourne second

[Thiele]

Perth 0
Adelaide 0

After 1 innings

[Big Phil]

BIG PHIL'S BITE BLOG
Live from Barbagallo Ball Park, WA

Perth went 3 up, 3 down with some great pitching from Maurer...

In Adelaide's at bat, Jamie McOwen had a big hit to centre field but it held up against the breeze and he was caught out on the fence.

Quincy Latimore struck out and Jeremy Creswell was out at 1st base in the lead off so the Bite go 3 up, 3 down also...

Top of the 2nd:

Perth Heat - 0

Adelaide Bite - 0

[Big Phil]

For some reason, I'm not 100% sure of, but in a best of 3 Play Off series, the 'travelling' team has to be represented as the 'home team' once, Adelaide wearing thier 'home' white pants tonight as apposed to the 'away' greys. Again, for what exact reason I don't know.

[Big Phil]

BIG PHIL'S BITE BLOG
Live from Barbagallo Ball Park, WA

In the mean time, Adelaide left fielder Tom Brice mis-judges a outfield ball and drops a catch, allowing a runner to get to 2nd base but no damage done with Adelaide retiring the Heat side and getting into bat again.

It's all happening in the Media / Corporate Box area with a lady basically just behind me collapsing and banging her head on the ground. As we speak, right next to me, she is being trteated by Paramedics and should be okay.

Bottom of the 2nd:

Perth Heat - 0

Adelaide Bite - 0

[Thiele]

Bite got a runner on Base

[Big Phil]

BIG PHIL'S BITE BLOG
Live from Barbagallo Ball Park, WA

Tom Brice makes up for dropping that catch, which he's done before, with a nice hit out to centre and getting on 1st base.

Then Brice is picked off trying to steal a base, not sure why base coach Craig Watts sent him, but regardless, Gladstone gets out at first as well and Brandon Bantz K'd at the start so no score for the Bite in that dig either...


Top of the 3rd:

Perth Heat - 0

Adelaide Bite - 0

[bayman]

wigmore gets home adel 1-0 up

[Thiele]

Bite leads 1-0 after 3 innings

[Big Phil]

BIG PHIL'S BITE BLOG
Live from Barbagallo Ball Park, WA

Perth Heat go 3 up and 3 down in their at bat, Adelaide now need to get some runners on base and in some dangerous scoring positions.

Ben Wigmore the first batter for the Bite in this dig, and a great left field line drive for 2 bases to Wigmore, YES...

Josh Cakebread now in the box for the Bite, will Adelaide put the bunt down, yes they do. Cakebread's sacrifice fly get's Wigmore to 3rd base with just 1 out.

Jeremy Creswell at bat, safe hit scores now. YES - Adelaide score the run for the lead but Creswell out at 1st base for 2 outs.

Stefan Welch with the bat now, and with a good eye, gets himself to first base bring up Jamie McOwen to bat, now runner on 1st, 2 out.

McOwen gets out to retire the side, not before Adelaide take a 1 nil lead, well done lads...


Top of the 4th:

Adelaide Bite - 1

Perth Heat - 0

[Thiele]

Good Catch by Brice

[Thiele]

Perth got a runner to first but that how far he got

[Thiele]

Perth 0
Bite 1

After 4 innings

[bayman]

home run to perth (welty) now it's 1 all top of the 5th zero outs